Sairis's POV
Sairis had met Loreen first. He had been the one chosen at that ball, not because of the face he had been wearing, but because of the way he had spoken, the way he had held himself, the things he had said that night that had made Loreen stop and pay attention.
Every significant moment that had brought Candice and Loreen closer together had Sairis's name written all over it. The introduction, the dance, the conversations. The dinner.
None of it had actually been Candice at all.
Candice had known that too, even if she had not said it plainly. But Sairis was not going to rub that in anyone's face. That was not who he was.
He thought about what came after the royal examination.
Candice would fail of course. Loreen had already told him clearly that he would not go forward with the marriage regardless of the result, but the examination failing would make the cancellation formal and clean.
